Alchemy of the Heart
by Lady Azcadelia
Summary: Fear. Resolution. Reliance. Oliver feels all of these things. But when a lover thought to be long gone turns up in MV, what sparks will fly? Just HOW will Az get on with Amelie? Co-op story with vicky199416. Rating HAS changed to M, in a bit. Come read!
1. Ch1: Her Story

**Disclaimer: HELLOOOOO ALLL welcome to my shared story between** **vicky199416**** and I ^^. I will be writing most of the plot and my new OC and she will be taking the role of Oliver because in my opinion she does him too damn well. I only own this story concept as well as Vicky does. I do not in any way own Morganville Vampires or Oliver…..but what I wouldn't give to play mind games with him…..ANYWAYS I only own Azcadelia so on with the story! Also we begin with our heroine's point of view.**

**Chapter 1**

Almost ten years have passed since I last saw anyone from my past. Traveling from place to place after the loss of my parents was my escape. Always traveling and always learning. I made sure as to never settle and that my current knowledge was never good enough. The gifts I have run deep in my ancestry and it was only fitting that I search for the very knowledge that has long since been lost by normal humans. The Arcane arts and Alchemy have existed since medieval times and long ago any written word had been scattered across the globe. Ten years it took me to find everything there was to be found.

After the passing of my family by the hands of those hunters I swore to get my revenge. I ran away to my grandmother's, a great Crone of her time. It was there I learned what has been passed down in my family for generations, and what my mother was to pass down to me before her untimely demise. Only ten years young and I was thrust into a world my mother had only told stories about. A world where I would never fit in with normal humans and there was the danger of them hanging me or lynching me like the olden days. Funny isn't it? How humans are supposedly evolved and more mature and yet they still revert back to their old, ignorant ways. Quite frankly it pissed me off.

I was twelve when grandmother died. She taught me so much and so I then went to discover what I could from maps and letters and other miscellaneous items my grandmother kept locked away. I left Massachusetts shortly after her funeral and returned to the true place of my birth, London. It was there, when I was fifteen after I had studied there under the care of our sister circle, that I met _Him. _He taught me so much about our world that it never disturbed me how much older he was than me. And the fact that he never aged and would never age again. That comforted me I guess, knowing that I finally met someone I couldn't lose to time. I stayed until I was almost sixteen, when he said he had to leave for America. I hid my pain, knowing then I had fallen for him, someone I could never have nor would want me.

From there I set onward to other cities across Europe and Asia until finally I found it all. I am twenty one now and I hate the fact that it took me this long to bring justice to those who took the lives of my parents. Thinking back, I will never forget their cold dead eyes staring back at me, knowing what I was, but never remembering that it was the little girl they decided to spare. Never knowing how much pain I went through because of them. I left my bloodstained robes as well as my past buried with the rest of the bodies. The women and children that were away would come back and find them but I didn't care. They should learn what ignorance gets them now before all of us band against them.

Now, however I am at a crossroads. I spent almost half of my life gaining the strength to have my revenge and now that I have had it, I feel fulfilled, and yet empty at the same time. My justice was all I had left and now I realize that I have no home, no family, and possibly no future. So that brings us to now, this moment. The moment I decided to track down the one person I _Knew _was still alive, well, sort of. I am the best tracker of my race and he was easy to find. Its only now, standing at the edge of this middle of nowhere town in the middle of hot and dry Texas that I find myself conflicted to take that one more step to him. What would he think of me now, my innocence tainted in red? One thought kept me going. One thought made my brain take that step. I am Azcadelia Redfern, and I am a witch. Or better yet, sorceress, and I can handle whatever comes my way, even unrequited love.

**AND VOILA! I am so glad I could finally write this. The next chapter will be in Oliver's POV but corresponding to the timeframe mentioned here. For him however it is only about six years instead of ten. Chapter two will be the only chapter that is a reflection to the previous and it will be written by none other than the lovely ****vicky199416****. I will take over if she wants to continue on mid chapter. RATE AND REVIEW AND PLEASE CHECK OUT VICKY'S PAGE!**


	2. Ch 2 His Past

**Disclaimer: WE DO NOT OWN Morganville Vampires or the Character of Oliver. That right belongs souly to Rachel Caine and this is just a tribute and inspired by her Awesomeness. Azcadelia however belongs to Lady Aiyaka.**

**So, yes, c'est moi – vicky199416. I hope you enjoy the chapter from me and then we're back to Lady Aiyaka!**

**Chapter 2**

What seems like both a lifetime and merely a second ago at the same time, I met Azcadelia Redfern. She was a young girl, beautiful and perfect, her innocence evident in everything she did. She wanted to learn more about the world we live in, and I felt happy to oblige. Her sad story was one of the reasons why I became so drawn to her; I never normally drew close to humans, or things close to humans, but she was an exception; she was intriguing and different and entirely herself. She was hurt, from the death of her parents and then her grandmother, but she pulled herself together enough to change the pain into strength and determination – the determination to learn.

Somehow, slowly throughout the course of the years, I fell for her. I was, _am_, physically decades older than her and I am so much older than that because of my vampire state that has prevented me from ageing. Yet this simply shows how love can be based upon something entirely other than physical beauty and how when people connect on a spiritual level, they can be perfect for one another.

However, I taught her everything I knew about her craft, everything I could bear to explain about the life I led… it still pained me that I was alone in the world, ever since Amelie had forced all the vampires into Morganville. She, of course, tried to make me follow suit but the vampires she sent to bring me by force (or destroy me) were not the best that she could have done – the way that I killed them is similar to a human scrunching up a piece of paper; it was a simple action and a simple death for them…

But I had to leave the dear Azcadelia, leave her alone in England as I headed for America, for Morganville – the very place I swore I would never go to. I needed to come here in order to fetch the book, to learn how to create vampires myself so that I needn't be alone anymore… no matter how much I love Azcadelia, she will die – she may be a witch or whatever she deems herself, but she still seems to be mortal and therefore will leave me. I need lasting companions… therefore, the only solution was to come to Morganville and find the book. This was the one thing I could _not_ teach her – to make vampires – because I do not to this day know how. Amelie is the only one with that knowledge… well, and the book. This is why I so desperately desire the book; this is why I _need_ the book.

It broke my heart to leave the person I love, at such a tender age. I knew nothing of what she would go onto do; would she be happy in her home town of London, or would she pine for the place in America she moved to for two years to live with her (then) closest relative, her Grandmother. I do not know anything about her, but my heart aches continually for her. It makes the pain I _thought_ I felt when Amelie left me, when I tried to kill her (not a clever idea, anyone who is thinking about it), seem a stupid waste of time – when I met Azcadelia, it made me realise that to feel anything for Amelie was impossible. She is too cold and distant… Azcadelia, on the other hand, is warm and kind and _innocent_ – she has not done anything to anyone; she is the most innocent person I have ever known.

She features in my thoughts every single day, and I know that I plan to return to London, where she was, when I have managed to locate the book. I want to spend time with the person I think, I _know_, I love and I want to be with her forever – or as long as she can be with me.

I don't know where she is right now… I know that she knows where I am, however. But why would she come here, to a place that is dangerous and entirely pointless to her? She knows the reason I have for coming here, but she must have an idea by now that if I haven't managed to return home by now, it seems ever more unlikely. There is a large part of me that _wants_ her to come here, to be with me, but I doubt that it will ever happen. Her innocence will stop her coming after me, when I stated that I didn't want her – if God had heard me then, that could be the reason why he is not allowing me to find the book: I told the biggest lie of my life to the one person I should have _only_ told the truth. Any lies I told to Amelie regarding my reasoning for coming to Morganville _then_ paled into nothingness in comparison to the lie I told Azcadelia. I told the one person I have ever had a slither of love for – and it is so much more than that – something so far from the truth that it isn't even on the same _planet_ as it!

Yet I shall not live in regret: I have a chance here to find this book and return to Azcadelia. I have a chance. If the brats and stupid Amelie with her jilted lover, the idiotic Samuel Glass, move aside for simply a week then I know I can find the book.

"_Myrnin hid it… but he is ill; he is dying of the disease,"_ Amelie insisted when I brought up the book in our first meeting in centuries. Of course it would have been that fool who lost the book then blamed an imaginary illness for his forgetfulness – I need the book and I will be damned if I allow the jester to win.

Azcadelia Redfern: the love of my life, the woman continually on my mind. She is the one I am fighting for – she is the person I want most to hold in my arms.

Yet that is most likely never going to happen. A shame…

**So, I hope you all liked this chapter! Setting of the scene – but from Oliver's perspective. Hope you liked it and read my other stories :D**

**Oh… AND REVIEW THIS ONE! I guess my update limits and threats can transfer over here as well, right?**

**So REVIEW!**

**Vicky xx**

**(Yes Lady A here on a side note please see her stories and yes her threats count haha. And whats worse is that we can tag team on it XD. So next chapter is back to present. Where our two misfits of love are finally reunited! Yay. Or maybe we will torture and make you wait *evil face*. Depends on your reviews folks!)**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: So yeah neither Vicky nor I own Morganville Vampires, the plot line of said series, or the characters themselves. We are however responsible for the great work before you. The story idea is originally mine the plotlines and dialogue are tag teamed. I own Azcadelia.**

**(Vicky) – but I own my awesomely amazing dialogue that Oliver always says, cause Oliver is a smarmy sarky dude :P**

**Chapter 3**

"Didya Miss me?"

Azcadelia's POV:

Okay just FYI, if you are ever planning a trip to Morganville, Texas, then I suggest you not only learn the rules and laws before coming, but also get yourself a damn good map. Then again if you're a naïve mortal I would highly advise against coming here at all. It's taken me almost two hours just to fine ONE of the main roads and by now it's around seven Pm. One thing I have noticed is that as soon the sun went down all of the humans practically vanished.

"Smart humans. It must be a rule in this town or something."

I then notice some humans wandering around, without a single care in the world – how strange! I raise an eyebrow to the stupidity of the idiots who are wandering around _at night_ in a _town full of vampires_ and notice that the woman, about 5'4" with brunette hair, isn't wearing one of the bracelets I saw many others wearing throughout the day on my long treks around the town.

"I wonder if that has something to do with it?"

Before I can even contemplate the validity of this thought, a cop car pulls up behind me – how odd! I stop and turn around, curious as to why they are paying attention to me instead of the other woman clearly out after 'Curfew'. The cop, male and about medium weight and average height, gets out of the car, shines his flashlight on me checking out every inch of her before he stops at her bare wrist... how rude! I mean, he is just checking me out and then deciding to make a classification upon me from a missing bracelet. Then again, it probably doesn't help that I am wearing a dark cloak, will it?

"Student's are restricted to campus grounds at 6:30pm. I am afraid I will have to escort you downtown," the cop says to me gruffly,

Before I could even explain, he grabs my wrist, quite violently I might add, and starts dragging me to his car. It appears he has mistaken me as a student. Well I guess I _do_ look like one I am the proper age but honestly does he really think I am that stupid?

"I am sorry sir but I think you have got it wrong! I am not a student here! Please let go of my wrist!"

He stops for a moment and turns to me.

"You're either incredibly stupid or a student otherwise you wouldn't be here at this time of night now I suggest you come with me otherwise I cannot guarantee your safety."

The fool actually continues to drag me and at this point I am just pissed.

"I am a visitor here and I know full well what goes on here thank you very much! I am here to see an old friend now if you don't let me go I promise you, that you will regret it!"

"Are you serious? _No one_ visits Morganville, girl! You tell me what I am supposed to think of a young woman, walking around these streets at night clearly unprotected? Students are the only ones who are kept blissfully unaware of what goes on here and being that you cannot seem to obey the law here I have to take you in!"

He pulls me with more force than before and I glare at him. You know what? Fine he wants to be Mr. Bad boy cop then fine. I warned him and well he didn't take it now did he? I will for my arm to grow hot to his touch, effectively scorching his hands. He releases immediately looking at me with this face that honestly is quite priceless. It's as if he just looked at some undead zombie or something. I watch him as he scrambles back to his car.

"What are you?"

"I warned you sir. Can you really not think of the answer to your own question? How about instead of targeting me you go and help the other foolish girl walking down that road?"

I point in the direction I see the girl walking. It astounds me how she hasn't even noticed us. I could have sworn I was yelling quite loudly. I watch as he looks in that direction, then back at me. He then jumps in his car and zooms off, that shock plastered on his face. I stick my tongue out at him and figure since I already used magic tonight, I might as well use it to track down that coffee shop. I close my eyes and focus on the distinct vibe a coffee shop is. Using Minds sight I travel down each road following paths. When one leads to a dead end I go back. I am almost there when I sense someone behind me and I swear if it's that cop again I am going to do a lot more than torch his hand. Its then that I listen in on him and realize there is no heart beat. Great, just great what is it with this town?

"Try and bite me and see where it gets you. I guarantee you won't have your head before your fangs reach my neck."

"You're unprotected. We get free picking on those out and unprotected at night. No one will know you or miss you or realize you are gone. You, defenseless human, could not possibly be a match for me." His voice actually comes out sounding like he is, dear god, _drooling!_

"You're clearly a younger vampire if you can't even distinguish me from an ordinary human."

Being that I am still pissed off, I decide to mess with him. I use a gravitational field to just push him back about ten feet. He looks at me like he has prey that's fighting back before I run his leg into a sharp branch. He gasps in pain and I smile as he limps away. From there I continue onto the coffee shop. I find it funny that is was only three blocks away. Someone seriously needs to rethink the layout of this place. I walk in and the little bell rings. It's fairly empty, with a few stragglers, most likely students or vampires to be out this late. The barista takes one look at me and almost sneers. Preppy bitch she is lucky I could care less.

"What can I get you?" Her tone mirroring that stuck up attitude with her face. Gee such an enthusiastic tone you would think she didn't _want_ to be here? Then again she probably doesn't.

"Is Oliver here?"

"No, he has other, more important matters to attend to which is none of your business so don't even ask." Wow someone is not in a good mood. Why did Oliver hire her? She has no manners whatsoever.

"Well that is fine I can just wait here for him." I retort, trying very hard to keep my manners. Poor girl if she makes me snap I hope Oliver can replace her after she winds up in a mental institution from what I do to her.

"He may not be back till well after one in the morning." At this point she's not looking at me, but goes back to cleaning the counter, as if it is more important than a customer at the counter.

"That is quite fine I do not mind the wait."

"You don't get it do you? I have to close up after midnight tonight and I know He won't be happy with letting you stay here!" She snaps her head up raising her voice to me. You would think, with being a Morganville resident clearly defined by the bracelet on her wrist, that she would hold her tongue. I mean what if I was some vampire? I highly doubt she could tell a rabbit from a jackalope, much less a human from a vampire.

"Look, I am an old friend of his I know he won't mind. You see I want to surprise him. If it makes you feel better I will help you close." Yeah that's it, appeal to her by offering to do her job. That should intrigue the little bitch. Besides I could use magic to clean it up and make her think it took me awhile. It is of no loss of energy to me.

She just kinda continues to glare at me, like it took her awhile to consider my offer. As if she is weighing the positives and negatives of letting me stay. It is probably Oliver's influence of his fearful yet kind way of doing things at work here.

"Fine, you mop the floors and do the windows and we have a deal. Are you actually going to get anything?"

I hadn't even considered it, but if I am going to be awake this late I might as well.

"Give me a Grande Vanilla Latte please."

She rings it up and I quickly pay her. She goes to make the drink, god I hope she gets it right, and I go find a seat for myself towards the back. I pull out from under my cloak one of my necromancy spell books out of thin air, not that anyone would actually notice that. Reading over this again should kill time.

Oliver's POV:

"Do not rile me, Oliver, or…" Amelie threatens me, but I simply laugh, not bothered about her threats any longer. Once upon a time, she may have managed to make me cringe or feel something if she threatened me, but not now. No, she is nothing to me. She has destroyed my search for the book and thrown barriers in the way of my getting _anywhere_ in this town, through Claire Danvers and her stupid friends… no, she is _nothing_ to me!

"Or what?" I finish, standing dramatically. Her eyes follow me, narrowed, as I remove myself from her control. "You'll throw me out of the town? You'll kill me? Please! Amelie, you cannot kill me, otherwise you would have already… rather, in a _fair_ fight, you cannot kill me. You also know that you need my allegiance… a state of being which I am growing tired of. Do not make to threaten me; you will be the only loser in that scenario," with this, I stalk out of the room to her cold silence. I feel the coolness of her power circling around but it doesn't have any effect on me whatsoever; I have enough heat in the form of power to divert it away from me.

Breathing heavier than normal, I stalk out of the council building earlier than I thought I would; normally, the meeting ends at 4am. Yet today, since I deigned not to stay for the entire meeting, I have left at only 3am… I have an extra hour to be able to get my human façade on for the college students, since my true nature has been revealed to the residents. It is a good thing; I cannot abide being a 'fun-loving hippie' more than the couple of hours I do per day – when I had to every single second of the day was pure torture.

Before Amelie decided to try and threaten me by using her power, I felt that the meeting went better than it normally does. She told me why she took the book from my reach when I was _this_ close to having it, and then she explained something about her theory on this 'disease' that Myrnin has. In my opinion, it is simply because he is weak minded and doesn't have a good control of his body (and what is left of his mind) rather than this being some degenerative disease that attacks all vampires. She is so gullible… no wonder I do not love her – she most certainly has changed in the intervening centuries since I last saw her; she is no longer the fierce and brave Amelie I knew that fought and defeated her cruel and cunning father… no, she is a shadow of herself and not worthy of running this town.

Yet I push all this out of my head as I begin my walk home, running extremely fast to make it there before one am so that the damned cashier doesn't moan again about overtime. I wish I could just snap her neck sometimes to make her shut up, but, of course, that _isn't allowed in Morganville…_ we are so weak here, I am amazed that more of us haven't been lynched by humans.

Hmmm…. That is a strange scent. I am _positive_ that I recognize it – sweet and purely delicious – but how can I? It reminds me of England, of home, but it cannot be because there _is_ nobody in this town who has recently arrived from England as all vampires have been here since before me and no human has returned from the ruling nation of the world (in my day at least) in over six months. So what can it be?

I push open the door to my establishment and gasp in shock as I see the person standing before me. Azcadelia.

Azcadelia POV:

Good God that girl can run her mouth. Of course every other sentence was some sort of complaint either about her life or about working for Oliver. He is hard that way, if you don't know how to handle him: he can be a real jerk. Lucky for me I know how to wrap him around my finger. It's about 1:30 in the morning now and after cleaning the windows as promised (by use of magic of course like I would actually lift a finger for that girl), the girl finally turns out the lights, locks the door and as soon as she leaves my anxiousness kicked into overdrive. What if he doesn't want to see me? What if he doesn't recognize me? All of these questions running through my head when suddenly they are interrupted by the sound of a key in the door. I am hidden behind one of the back corners so I know he can't see me. Oh but I see him. He hasn't changed a day, not that he would of course. He seemed worn, like he just went through hell. Maybe I shouldn't have come tonight, maybe I should have waited. As soon as he gets in, I know he has caught my scent. I notice his head jerk up and look in my direction and I can't help but smile.

"Hello Oliver."

Seems he is at a loss for words for a moment then he turns on the lights, as if he didn't even trust his enhanced sight.

"A…Azcadelia?" he says, as if he cannot be sure it is really me. I'd best address that first then.

"Before you think you're going mad, yes I am here. I came back to see you. I am sorry it took so long. I asked your employee if I could stay, I hope it isn't too inconvenient for you?"

He shrugs slightly and seems at a loss of what to say. "Well… erm… I think that Chastity made the right decision… of course, it wasn't a problem… it _isn't_ a problem," he stumbles over most of the words, changing his sentence beginning rather a few times, but I get the gist of it: he didn't mind me staying here with his employee…

"We have a lot more to talk about don't we? A lot of catching up to do. I am sure you have questions about my life, even though I know much about yours."

"Yes, I think that would be a good idea. I would rather not do it here though. I spend too much time in here on a daily basis," he says with a snort, the first sign of the 'old Oliver' I have seen yet…

"So what do you propose then?"

"Upstairs should suffice."

I nod, smiling as I follow him. This reunion has been long overdue and I only hope that after tonight, there will be no more secrets or space separating us. I do not wish to part from him again, he is all I have left and I guess it's time to face what I feel for him. It's now or never I suppose.

**TADAAAAAAAAAAAA. I will let Vicky handle the rate and review threats from here kayz. **

**(c'est moi!) yes well, I am willing to say that you guys need to review as otherwise… *everyone looks anxious to see what I'm going to say* I DON'T UPDATE SERRATED BLADE! Yes, dudes, the story that everyone loves and wants to see what happens next. Well, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO, IF YOU DON'T REVIEW THIS WHEN YOU READ!**

**Vicky :P**


	4. Chapter 4: Jar of Hearts

**Chapter 4:**

**So… hey guys! Hope you've enjoyed this story so far – this chapter was my responsibility so sorry for the long update… I spent an AWESOME week in Barcelona!**

_Oliver's POV:_

I truly cannot believe that she is here – when I left her in England, all those years ago it seems, I never expected that I _would_ be able to see her again. Oh, I always _wanted_ to – I aimed to return to her as soon as the book came into my possession, a feat I never thought would take so long. Then I lost any chance of getting the book and knew then that seeing Azcadelia again would most likely be impossible.

And now here she is, _in my living room_. It doesn't seem plausible, possible, likely… oh, I could say so much more, but I doubt that it would be wise to continue to question myself and Azcadelia to myself, when she is sitting here.

"Tea?" I ask politely, not wanting to go through the pleasantries but finding it impossible to stop myself. It's as if I am doing anything possible to put off the inevitable question…

"Cut the crap, Oliver, and let's get down to it," she says with a smile, sitting down on the sofa and leaning forwards. I sit in the armchair opposite her and match her stance of sitting, finding it impossible to stop myself smiling.

I ask the most obvious question first, as so I can get a feel for this – normally it seems that _I_ am the one questioned… I still remember when I came to Morganville: Amelie questioned how I was here, how I was alive still, for _hours_…

"Where have you been?" I ask her quietly, unable to look her in her perfect face. It's as if the picture I took of her those years ago in my mind was taken with a camera which refused to develop properly – it is flawed and entirely wrong. But I want to know what _happened_ to make her seem so… hard… so… _perfect_ before I look at her again.

"I've been all over the place really," she dodges the question at first in her answer, before finally telling me. "After you left, I went to Asia and travelled there… the last stop over there was Russia before I came over to America," she explains and I smile slightly. I always assumed she would have stayed in England when I left, the lost little child unable to leave her last 'blanket of comfort'.

"What made you come to America?" I continue the questioning after a moment, having let the information sink in properly.

"I learnt _everything_ that there is, Oliver – and I mean _all_ of it," she sounds excited, proud, pleased – everything I would associate with pure glee. "Every single thing that there was to learn, I did. I have most of the spellbooks as well… but why I came to America? Well, I visited my old home, said a proper goodbye to my parents, and proceeded to take care of some unfinished business I happened upon… then I came here, to you," she explains and I wonder _what_ unfinished business she could have. After all, she was _ten_ when she left… but I have a feeling the question will be answered later so there is no need to get into it now.

"Interesting," I say as my mind whirls around, trying desperately to process this information. I always knew that she was going to be a powerful witch, but to have learnt absolutely _everything_ in the world according to magic is a shocker – I doubt anyone else has ever accomplished that in this world's history…

A more pressing question hits me – one that is rather disturbing, or rather it would be for Amelie who wants to keep Morganville hidden. "How did you find me?" I inquire, keeping my voice level as I find out how she managed to find me in the entire continent of America – she only knew I was coming to America, not that I was going to Morganville in Texas… I never mentioned to her the location of every vampire in the world, _ever_.

She smiles slightly – I see it in my peripheral vision – and shakes her head, clicking out her fingers. "That one was quite easy, actually. Most of 'The Circle' keep tabs on the other magical creatures and whatnot… you said to me that you were going to a town of vampires and my fellow witches informed me that there was only one, here in Texas. So I came to Texas and followed your aura, which was as clear as it was the day you left, and it was like a lighted path," she explains – wow. I didn't realise that there were so many 'magical creatures' – evidently there must be more than vampires and witches if creatures _other_ than witches are in the plural form.

Keen to return to topic, I ask her a similar question to where she has been. "What have you been doing?"

"Nothing much, besides learning," she shrugs, and I instantly want to ask _what _she has been learning, before she continues. "However, when I returned to America, I realised that my only drive was my desire to learn everything I could. Now that this is complete, I acknowledged the one thing I had left: you."

"But… what have you been learning?" I ask, without even thinking about her previous answer. This is what I want to know: if she is so powerful, how does she know that she knows _everything_? God, this is making my head hurt – just her _being_ here is shocking enough. "I mean… what are you? A witch, right?"

I break my promise not to look at her and lock eyes with her, mine reflected in her glittering jewels. She smiles again and shakes her head slowly, deliberately before speaking in a calculatingly slow and nonchalant voice. "Well… I'm a jack of all trades, so to speak. I am considered the only sorceress in the world to have ever existed because I am the only witch to have succeeded in learning _every_ piece of arcane knowledge ever known to our kind. I am the strongest in the entire world… not that that was my intention – I just wanted strength and this is what happened," she shrugs as if this is just life and she didn't have any control over it…

"Interesting," I repeat slowly, thinking through what I should ask next. The room falls into silence and I look away from her, knowing that this next question is the big one – the one that will give me the answers I want… I will know if she is just here for a chat or for revenge for me leaving her… or whether or not she truly loves me…

"Why are you here?" I ask quietly, taking a deep and unnecessary breath as I wait for her answer…

She hesitates for a long time and I worry that she isn't going to answer… then she begins talking in a rapid babble which takes all my concentration to keep up with. "I told you I have nothing left. Oliver...I...killed them. _All _of them; the hunters that attacked my family… when I came back they had eradicated my entire circle and two others in the area close to where I lived. Did you know that the graveyard for witches had at least tripled in size since I left?" she stops here and laughs a slightly manic laugh before continuing. "Because of this, I knew what I had to do. I lured all of the hunters of that clan, mostly the men, and lured them to their deaths. It was most satisfying…" she scares me here; no longer is she the naïve little girl who seemed woefully oblivious of her powers. Here, she is as violent and ruthless as I... this wasn't particularly what I wanted for her.

"And the women and children?" I ask her, as she pauses for a long time without speaking.

"The women and children?" she repeats and I nod. "I killed some of them…I left clues to find their bodies and I warned those I left that this is what happens when you mess with a race that has done nothing to you. I told them that we had shown them mercy, we could have finished all of them, but instead I hoped that this would teach them a lesson. I told them that they should teach their children not to hunt us, or else they themselves will become the hunted. I still remember...their cold lifeless eyes staring back at me," at this moment, she seems to return to the Azcadelia I knew before – the one who seemed to hate the violence which had been inflicted on her. I see why she seemed so different – she has become such a mass murderer… but she should be forgiven; she was seeking revenge, something which even the best of us want. Look at Amelie (she is not the best, but she is powerful and strong) and the way she fought tooth and nail to destroy her father – for revenge, nothing else.

"Is that it?" I ask her, and she looks up to meet my gaze. Her eyes are filled with tears and she looks as if she is simply the little girl she was when I left her, the pain which consumed her face which I memorised for the past few years since she left.

"After I gave my parents and little sister the justice they deserved to have, I then knew I had nothing. That was it. All my drive was gone and I truly was alone, homeless, and without a future," she sighs here, and wrings her hands together… that is something I remember she did all the time as a child/teenager, whatever you want to call her when I realised I loved her. She had her pet actions and such and this was one of them. "And then I remembered you. I took a risk by coming here. I didn't know...if you will still accept me now, knowing what I have done and how bloodstained my hands are. I can only hope that you will," she actually bursts into sobs and returns to staring at her hands as if she can see the blood on them.

Shocked into action at someone quite blatantly so powerful crying, I move over and tentatively put an arm around her, pulling her into my side to comfort her. "Bloodstained hands? Azcadelia, if you think a few revenge murders make your hands bloody, look at mine… I have killed hundreds more than that, thousands most likely. Please, do not doubt your brilliance, your sensitivity, your _lovability_ simply because you wanted your family to have not died in vain," I beg her, but in a way that doesn't make me appear weak. Even to the woman I love, I cannot let such vulnerability into my mantra – it could destroy me.

She looks up at me and smiles through her tears. "Thank you," she whispers. "Thank you for accepting me," she continues and I smile back at her, wondering how I managed to cope for the past few years without her by my side.

But what do we do now?

**So… yep… well… I'm gonna be a-saying to get yaselves to review here! **

**And cause I (vicky199416) am, sorry **_**we**_** are, amazing… if you review you will get another chapter soon… and I who wrote this chapter will, if you PM me, write a oneshot for you…**

**You'd best get reviewing… I gave up a tonne of necessary revision time to write this… remember… I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE!**

**Vicky XD**


	5. Chapter 5: Az on Tour?

**Okay guys so here is loverly chapter 5! Agains we do not own Morganville Vampires and whatnot. This was mostly written my moi, Lady Ayaka with the role of Oliver played by The Lovely Vicky!**

**Chapter 5: Jar of Hearts**

Azcadelia's POV

He is hugging me! Actually Hugging me! It has been so long since I have felt his icy touch. So much for my plan to be cool and collected. I didn't want him to see the old me, the naïve and weak me. My heart raced as he pulled me close, something I never in a million years I thought he would do. He must have heard it, my increased heart rate. I have to calm down….or else he may lose control as I have. He always knew how to make me feel better though, no matter how crappy I felt. The silence between us had started to become unbearable. It was like all of our emotions burst in this reunion and now we were at a standstill.

" So um…what now? I am nowhere near as sleepy as I probably should be and I am too curious about your life here." I start rubbing my thumbs together out of nervousness. I have no clue what to say or do now. After breaking down I had lost my reserve and now? All I really want is just to be around him. While it lasts I guess.

(insert dialogue for oliver here corresponding to what she describes)

I am taken back when he offers to take me around the town, like a tour I suppose. I mean am I even allowed to do that? I feel like I am perhaps a fugitive than a guest here, like I am not supposed to be here in the first place.

"I don't see why not no. I am quite curious as to what a town of vampires coexisting with humans is like. Of course, aside from the scum I ran into earlier this evening. Your general street lowlifes I presume. You know, an officer actually mistaked me for a student and tried to get me to go into his car with him by force. He didn't listen so I made his hand become a little toasty. I think he might need a few years of therapy now…." I couldn't help but chuckle a bit at my own words. Now that I think about it the poor fellow was only trying to protect me. I leaned into his side once more before standing up and walking a bit to the door. I turned back to face him, my usual smirk on my face.

"You coming or what?"

(possibly insert oliver's point of view for a bit here. Just replace az's up until they meet amelie)

This town was surprisingly normal, you know, aside from the vampires out at night. Other than that it was your usual town layout. No gothic buildings like it came straight out of Transylvania.

"I am surprised how….normal everything is. I can see why vampires come here. It is a chance at a normal life again, connecting to their once human lives. I mean there is a University in the middle of it all! I am the same age as those students and it amazes me how blissfully unaware they really are. I mean if they are from out of state their parents are either really lazy and cheep, or really stupid"

He took me past the University entrance, but we didn't enter. There was no purpose in it. He also took me to the town square, otherwise AKA Vamp central. He laughed when I called it that. Its nice to see these glimpse of the him I knew. I suppose I am the only one privalegded enough to ever see it. Some way or another we wound up at the graveyard. Great, another graveyard just what I needed; it seems like I am some kind of graveyard magnet. I understand why though, either it just happened to be the last stop, or he wanted me to get over freaking out seeing any more graveyards. As soon as we were through the front gate, however I realized quickly that we were not alone. Standing next to a pristine marble headstone was one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. Her platinum hair pulled into a bun and her business attire made her very out of place for being in a graveyard. She was also pale, and extremely regal in her posture, even with the residual tearstains across her cheeks. Oliver had stopped and for a moment I notice his face soften, before going extremely stone cold with that fake smile. Ah, that must be his superior, someone higher than he and also someone he considers a rival.

"Amelie" he says. That name is…familiar. I know I have read it somewhere before and I think he mentioned her before leaving. I also noticed that the grave was fresh..well…fresher than the others. The name engraved in the stone was Samuel Glass. He must have been important to her. As soon as her name escaped his lips, Amelie's head snapped to look at Oliver.

"Oliver?" suddenly her expression became like stone. "And who, is this? I have not been notified of newcomers to the town."

Oliver introduces me and I cannot help but smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Amelie. I am sorry for the sudden visit but Oliver is my last living contact. I wanted to at least see him and find him. I was hoping to stay here, if that is alright with you of course?"

"I do not really like this situation that you have put me in Oliver. I do not trust her how do I know my father did not send her or you did not call her here to help you take over the town like I know you wish to do?"

Take over the town? I highly doubt that Oliver wants to do it just out of a need for power. He probably needs something from her. I smile as he denies her accusations, defending me as always. God how I love this man, his quirks included.

"I assure you I mean no harm. If I may ask, who was he to you? The man buried here?"

"That is not of your concern..Azcadelia was it?"

"Yes. And I only ask because you wouldn't be here, in business attire and heels, if he were not important to you. Was he a vampire if I may ask?" I walk over to the grave, running my fingers across the engraved letters of his name and sifting my hand through the topsoil. Good, its only a few weeks, perhaps even a month or so fresh.

"Yes he was a vampire why exactly does this concern you?" I look up at her and I lock eyes with her. Even though it is only for a moment, it sends shivers down my spine. Her gaze is truly like ice and conveys her message of 'do not poke your nose into matters that do not involve you'. I glance towards Oliver for a moment hoping he understands what I am trying to get at. Who knows maybe if I do a good deed here and there life will be easy here. For the brief hundred or so years it lasts.

"You see Amelie, I also know many necromancy spells; spells that can specifically resurrect certain types of corpses. I can resurrect those who have not been dead long as well as vampires. You see vampires are actually very easy. Being that they are already dead, they basically need a jump start like a dead car battery. The spell draws their soul back to them and awakens them from basically a hibernative state."

Yeah I realize I probably shouldn't divuldge this, but underneath the ice in her eyes I can also see the pain. A pain I am so familiar with that if I can help it I will make sure that others don't feel it.

"In return, I only ask for permanent residence here and also that you be a little kinder. If not to Oliver, but to me and also those you hold dear. You don't realize what you have until it is gone, I would know, so cherish them and hold them close. Don't push them away because you are afraid of showing weakness. If it is to those whom you love, then I know they would never use it against you." I cannot help but look to Oliver as I say this. I know him well enough by now that he doesn't like to show emotions or compassion. He sees it as weakness and I only hope that I can help him realize that I would never hurt him or see it as a weakness. If there is anyone he can express himself around it is me, if not anyone else.

"I will have to think your offer over. It seems far too good to be true and I do not like to be toyed with. Take her back home Oliver before she causes trouble. I will seek you out when I have an answer. As for residence here you will have to work. I will come up with this as well. Now if you will please leave me to my peace, now."

I realize I hit a nerve with her and I understand I shouldn't have upon first meetings but I think she deserves a break in her eternal life. I go to stand next to Oliver, tugging on his hand slightly letting him know we should definitely leave now.

"Come on, I think it's time we get back anyways." I stifle a yawn realizing how tired I actually am now. Now the next problem I face is where am I going to sleep?

**There you go guys ^^. Introduced to the first epic plot twist and scheme by Azcadelia. More to come so please review or else our muses will go on strike. XDDD thanks~ Lady A**


	6. Chapter 6: Amelie's Choice

**Chapter 6:**

**Hey guy, c'est Vicky once again xD this chapter was mainly written by me – hope you all enjoy it!**

**Yes I, lady Ayaka, mostly contributed Az's point of view here. She gets the next chapter of course.**

**We own nothing of the original stuff we are using…**

_Amelie's POV:_

It is a most intriguing offer she has given me – a chance for my loved one to be returned to me after mere weeks. I expected to never be able to see him again for many years, until I die – if that ever occurs. But I am being offered a chance for him to return to this world, most likely as himself I hope, as a second chance for him now that he has suffered at the hands of my father.

Just can I trust this offer? After all, it has been made by an obvious lover of Oliver – my enemy and continual threat to my power in my town… can I trust her? She professes that I can, and he vouches for her, but I cannot get an entirely clear reading on her: I can tell that she is only slightly weaker than myself – I could win in a head to head – but she is obviously barely into her twenties… if her tender age is symbolic of anything, it shows that she will only grow more powerful with age. I do not increase in strength as quickly as she obviously has done – she has only been learning for six years and she has already became a powerful witch, if not a sorceress – and I worry that if I anger her, I could regret it…

But I shouldn't have to do that! This is _my_ town… it is my decision who lives here, who does what, who works where when it comes down to it… I should not be forced into a decision simply because I presume she would keep Oliver sweet and not want to take my town from me – something about her expression when I mentioned this suggested to me that she would not condone this behaviour – but the offer she made me!

I will not lie: she scares me. She scares me that she could bring my Samuel back from the grave so easily. She scares me because of the condition that she made for me to allow her to bring him back: how has she been so perceptive to realise that I am not 'kind' to all I meet, simply remain distant and cool as not to get myself hurt? The only time I haven't done this is with Samuel and look where this has gotten us: his death and my eternal heartbreak.

She appears strong and ruthless, and I worry that she could work with others to bring down the fragile sense of stability and order installed in Morganville since the cure was handed out. Yet there is that sense of vulnerability and naivety in her that suggests she could be a powerful ally on my side – that is, of course, if Oliver returns to my side as he did against my father. I suspect we are rather similar, in all honesty, and we could probably be friends – if I could trust her.

The _desire_ to have Samuel back is overwhelming… I fear that my mind was made up as soon as she suggested it – in fact, I _know_ it was… I know what has to happen.

_Oliver's POV (they've just arrived back at Common Grounds):_

"Would you like to rest in my home?" I ask her awkwardly, realising then that I only have the one room. "Of course you could have the bed – I have no need to sleep tonight, since I slept during the afternoon," I quickly continue, watching as her face becomes amused and her eyebrows rise at the prospect of sharing a bed with me.

"That would be lovely, thank you," she replies, fatigue evident in her voice. She picks up a small bag – which I presume contains her washing and nightwear equipment and such – and follows me in the direction in which I direct her to. It isn't much, simply a double bed in a basic room with only a small wardrobe and chest of drawers – I don't particularly need much. All the 'hippie' stuff is kept in my office downstairs and so the only things in my wardrobe are the black clothing I wear on my days off – containing the leather coats and such – and a few random t-shirts which I seem to have collected but would never admit that I wear.

"This is it," I say, motioning unnecessarily. She seems to bring out this nervous boy in me, as if I have never communicated with a woman before. In all honesty, I haven't – not in this sense, at least. Life has been complicated and my desire for power hasn't exactly led to a particularly promising love life. Yet I hope that that could change…

"I shall see you in the morning, Oliver," she says shyly, barely managing to contain a yawn. I walk promptly out of the door and shut it behind me, managing to close my ears to her, as so that I can just about manage to live a normal night, Oliver style.

I just about manage it. For three hours straight, I file paperwork and pay bills online but am always aware of the sleeping beauty in the room merely 10m from where I am working. I could go downstairs to the soundproof office, but where would be the sense in that? She could wake at any moment and I wouldn't want her to do so in my house alone…

As 9am approaches and I hear her breathing change, symbolising she is on the verge of awakening, I spring into action. I set the bacon and eggs to cook on the cooker and shoot downstairs to prepare a pot of English Earl Grey in the café, ignoring the whinging of the barista I had to hire to replace Eve – why she had to quit all those months ago now, is beyond me. Does she not realise that the owner of her new workplace is a vampire also? You would find it hard in this town to get a job that _doesn't_ include the workplace being owned by a vampire…

I set the food in an aesthetically pleasing arrangement and place the plate, along with the milk jug, teapot and the cup, on the tray before knocking gingerly on the door. She makes a few grunting noises which I identify enough with to understand she is giving me permission to enter, so I open the door carefully and freeze in shock. She is so beautifully perfect… her mussed up bed hair suits her almost as much as her perfectly coiffed style of the night before, and I simply cannot describe how much she appeals to me. Not her blood – it has never been my intention to hurt her, and I never could do… but something else…

"Morning, Azcadelia," I say with the smile reserved only for her use. "I remembered your favourite foods, so I made you breakfast," I profess the tray in front of me and her eyes light up as the smell hits her.

"Thanks," she says with a smile as I set the tray down on her knees carefully. I am about to respond when the mobile phone I _must_ have, according to Amelie, rings in the living room. I excuse myself as she tucks into the bacon and race through to the location of the phone, which I proceed to pick up.

"Amelie, I wasn't expecting a call today, was I?" I ask her, unable to be smarmy or rude or anything I would have been this time yesterday. I have mellowed out remarkably so in the few hours of knowing that Azcadelia is here, with me and wants me…

"I was ringing to speak with your… _friend_," she says, and I can tell how awkward it is for her to be ringing. I take it that she has accepted Azcadelia's kind offer to ensure that she no longer has to feel this heartbreak that is quite evident from her mantra. I was entirely amazed when someone she had never even met before had offered to do something so momentous for her.

"I shall take the phone to her," I reply in a neutral tone, not allowing emotion to afflict on my tone whatsoever. So I walk through to the bedroom and hand the phone out to a confused Azcadelia. "She wishes to speak with you – Amelie, that is," I explain and she nods.

_Azcadelia's POV:_

I didn't think I would sleep as well as I did, distracted with Oliver's scent everywhere in his room. I was half tempted to just ask him to share with me like we did once before, but I know he is too much of a gentleman to do that...well in his own weird way. I can only assume he is busying away with work as I wake, only instead of rustling of papers, I hear a knock on the door. I really don't have the awareness to speak comprehendible words so I give my usual uh huh grunt and he enters. It only takes seconds for the delicious smell of breakfast to hit me and I am practically drooling as I watch him make his way across the room with the tray. I never expected him to give me breakfast in bed in fact I did not expect him to really have food.

I could not help but sadden slightly as he left but I suppose he felt the need to answer the phone. I was just beginning to really dig into my breakfast when he came back in practically shoving the phone in my face. I cannot help but to be confused by this action until he tells me who it is.

"Hello?" I say with a slight tone of question in my voice. Somehow I knew down in my heart that she would accept the offer. I really did not intend to make a deal with her but if I hadn't, well who knows what could have happened. She has to know how strong I am compared to her and that I will not let her intimidate me. I try to let her hold the conversation, dealing out specifics and whatnot. Who knew she was this talkative? But I suppose it is the excitement and anticipation that causes her to do so. I agree to meet with her shortly to discuss things further with her and she relays me the correct directions.

As I give her my umms and ahhs I notice Oliver trying his hardest to not listen in, bless him. I will tell him later anyways he might want to be there to see how it all works. Suddenly I hear a voice calling up from the cafe and I give him a confused look as he lets out the strangest sigh I have ever heard him release. I suppose he has matters to attend to and I do want to spend my day with him. I make quick work of the rest of the phone call before politely hanging up. There is also no way I am about to let this breakfast go to waste so I continue eating. I have to say his cooking skills have improved tremendously. I wonder if it is because of my influence.

It doesn't take long for me to finish the meal, so I pull out some miniaturized clothes from my bag. I shake them a bit and they become full sized instantly. Have I mentioned that there are numerous perks to being a witch? I sigh to myself as I get changed. I wanted to spend my day with Oliver but I really should see Amelie and make sure she doesn't do anything out of order. She also never told me what she wanted of me in return? I think it involved some sort of job but honestly? I doubt she could even find one remotely challenging for me and if not then it better be with Oliver or there are no guarantees for my co-workers.

Did I also mention that Oliver has impeccable timing? He struts into the room right as I am finished changing. Any sooner and the whole day may have become incredibly awkward, if not already with what I am wearing. Let's just say Oliver is in for a world full of surprises now that I am back.

_Oliver's POV:_

"Hello?" she says with a question in her voice. Nearly every single person does that, besides for Amelie and myself: we have no need to sound questioning – if someone has rang us, then it must be something important if they are bothering to contact us.

There are a lot of umms and aaahhs on Azcadelia's side of the phone, but I manage to refrain myself from listening to Amelie's side of the conversation: if Azcadelia wishes to tell me, then she should have the choice and not have to have me know simply because I have stronger senses.

"Oliver, Eve is here to see you!" the whinging barista calls up the stairs and I heave a sigh of annoyance, relief and confusion. Azcadelia looks up in confusion but smiles as I motion I will be back in a few minutes.

I head down the stairs and find the girl waiting in my office, appearing nervous and probably not wanting to be here.

"Eve, what a lovely surprise…" I trail off, knowing that I _do_ need her – if I have to put up with this barista's whinging a day longer I may have to kill her.

"Let's cut the crap," she says sharply and stands up to face me. "It's quite obvious from your face that you have some sort of girl in your life. Don't bother asking how I know because that doesn't matter – I came here for a job but this has confirmed that you _need_ me… you _cannot_ be not contemplating getting rid of that kid out there and if you are going to be busy with someone – yes, yes, I _know_, don't ask questions if you don't wanna die – you need someone who can actually run the shop," she rambles on and on, but I get the gist. She wants a job. I need her to take the job.

"Eve, do you want a job here?" I ask her, sitting down in my chair and pressing my fingertips together. Upstairs, I can hear the cutting off of the phone and the continuation of Azcadelia eating her breakfast.

"Manager," she says simply, and I think through the pros and cons. There are many pros and not so many cons, so it's a simple deal.

"Manager – work 5 days a week, opening till 5pm or 12pm till closing, three days a week of one and then the other two days. $40,000 per year," I give the information and watch her eyes widen exponentially at the huge figure.

"You got a deal," she says, swallowing as she puts her hand out gingerly to shake my cold one. "But if blood comes onto the menu in _any_ form, then I quit. Deal?" she confirms and I laugh slightly before nodding.

"I am busy – you can start today at 12pm," I say to her, standing up and she nods. "Good to have you back, Eve… you cost me a lot of business these few months," I tell her, revealing just how much she brought me – people came in here to be served by her, as well as for the coffee…

Her eyebrows rise slightly as I walk out of the room and back up the stairs to my room and such. I walk back through into the bedroom and see that Azcadelia has finished her breakfast and is already dressed.

"Are you going someplace?" I ask her in confusion, hoping that we could have had another chat about something now… but no, she is evidently going out.

"I am going to see Amelie, to iron out some of the creases in our deal," she shrugs and I take a deep breath. She had better be ok…

"I will see you later then," I say stiffly, not sure _what_ to say. Then she surprises me: she wraps her arms around me tightly and presses her lips to my cheek before darting out of the room, her low rise jeans causing a blush to rise on my cheeks slightly before I manage to quash it… oh… I have a feeling that this will be ending well…

**So… dudes… tell us what you thought xD**

**We want feedback….**

**Vicky xx**

**Lady A ^^**


	7. Chapter 7: Sometime around Midnight

**Disclaimer: I am SOOOOO sorry for the delay on this chapter everyone. I have had final exams and projects that took priority however I can now say HALLOOOOO SUMMER! You should be getting updates more often now ^^ **

**-Lady A**

**(Vicky) but I have exams starting on Monday, so it could be on my half that it takes a little longer to update.**

**We do not own Morganville vampires or its characters. Only the plotline and Azcadelia as well as other OOC's are originals.**

**Rating for this chapter is T**

Azcadelia's POV:

I have to say, I do wish I could have stayed with Oliver. The longer I am with him the urge to flat out jump him becomes stronger. Strange, I know, being what he is and how old he is: most others would probably take one look at us and become quite confused. Back to the task at hand, however.

I figured I had two options: either walk back to council hall, or just Apparate there. Oh, but if I Apparate I risk scaring Amelie and her ripping my head off: ie, not good. I sigh and go with the latter anyways. I can at least put myself on the front steps meaning that there is less walking for me in the long run – and the lack of death on my half. What can I say? I am lazy, so sue me! I twirl on the spot elegantly and feel the rush of air to tell me I am travelling: my method of Apparation means that there is no sickness, simply instantaneous arrival elsewhere.

I am conveniently right outside the front door to the Council building. Amelie instructed me to head to her office on the third floor and I do so accordingly. I cannot help but snicker at the office workers giving me suspicious looks: it is clear I am heading towards Amelie's office and they are too scared to stop me to ask who I am – if I am invited to see _Amelie_, I must be powerful. I knock twice on her door only to hear a stern "Come in, Azcadelia," shortly after.

I chuckle as I open the door. "And here I thought I could sneak up on you now. What was I thinking?" I smile as she directs me to sit in the chair in front of her. "Are you prepared for this, Amelie?"

"I am still undecided as to whether or not you are my friend or a foe, therefore I would strongly recommend you keep the events which shall occur quiet, for fear of my wrath," she says coolly, evidently scared but trying to hide it behind a steel demeanour. "You are the only one who has managed to see _through_ me, and I will not lie: this concerns me."

"Of course, Amelie, I will keep it quiet," I say, trying to keep a reassuring tone with her. As strong as I am she can still hurt me, only because she is dead and I am…well, not. "I have been through the pain you are now going through and it does _not_ become you, no matter what you currently think. I only overcame it thanks to Oliver and before you ask, yes he has a soft side. All I ask is for your help in return. Oliver is all I have left and I fell in love with him before he came here. I just….I think he thinks he doesn't deserve me. Or that because he will live forever and I won't that he cannot put himself through the pain of my eventual death. All I ask is to at least give me my time with him and should I need him over you, I come first alright?" I continue before she can protest, especially after I notice her mouth opening every few seconds to try to interrupt.

I feel mean, as if I am trying to take her power, but it is not for this reason: if I do not lay it all out now, then all of the cards will be in her hands. I sympathize with her as a fellow woman, but that does not mean I trust her in the least bit.

"Before you argue, I wish for you to know that if there is something important concerning the safety of the town, then I will be more than happy to help along with Oliver, otherwise if there is no new information or updates, then he is mine. Also, should you need my expertise and abilities for the town, I will also help you. You're getting more than your lover back by having me here," I finish with a reassuring smile, hoping that perhaps she may finally trust me here. I get bored easily so should the town need help and it actually presents a challenge than I have no problems helping out. It's better than sitting around doing nothing all day. I sincerely doubt that Oliver will have nothing to do all day and I do not wish to be a burden for him.

She seems to be thinking this through, though I wish to yell at her _there is nothing to think about! If you love him, you want him to come back!_

"Very well," she says in a pleasant enough tone, albeit slightly begrudgingly. "Though I do not necessarily _like_ your terms, and quite frankly I do not trust you, I will oblige for now. I do have more matters to attend to today, so I would like to go over what you need and what needs to be done." And the icy cold front returns. You would think with what I am offering her she would be a bit friendlier but no, that isn't even a function for her. What a surprise…

"First off, we will need to unbury the body. We also need a place, elevated off of the ground to place him on, outside of the casket. It must also remain in the cemetery or else he will never be able to be brought back. We need about 30 black candles and a large blood supply for him. Whatever you supply to lay him on, be sure to provide a blanket to put under him. Also, some cushions to sit on because we will be there for awhile. I can float but you and Oliver will have to sit. Yes, Oliver has to be there because afterwards I will be quite drained. I am not a necromancer, so it takes a great amount of my physical energy. I will need him to support me. Any further questions?" Call me vulgar but I prefer to lay it out upfront clearly instead of explaining things five hundred times.

"No I believe that covers it. However, as for when he is resurrected, what courses of action are recommended?" Oh now I see where she is going with this. She wants to know if her precious Sam is going to go all Hannibal Lector on the entire town. The impression I have of him so far, with what was written on his headstone and the way Amelie practically swoons over him, I take it that this isn't the course he needs to take.

"I would suggest slowly introducing him back to living humans again," I say slowly, thinking this through and deciding that this is the best option. "His senses and hunger will be in overdrive for a month or so, so slowly wean him back into society. He will also require my blood once a week, for two weeks. "

"Very well I understand. I will see you at what time?"

"Meet me around eleven pm at the Cemetery gates," she nods and I take my leave. _Finally_, I get to be with Oliver again.

I go for the simple teleportation out of the office and into the living room of Oliver's apartment. I smile when I sense him downstairs in his office: I suppose I should leave him be, but my desire to be next to him put that thought to rest quite quickly. I strut my way downstairs, greeting Oliver just as I left, with a kiss on the cheek.

_Amelie's POV:_

Can I trust her? I do not know whether or not I am able to trust her… but the way that she is willing to bring back my Samuel when she knows very little of me – and what she knows has probably been tarred by the brush Oliver paints his pictures with – and absolutely nothing of Samuel whatsoever. For all she knows, he could have been the biggest murderer in town and that he was felled whilst attempting to murder someone – yet she decided that she would help me.

I should be rejoicing, but I cannot. For, you see, it is what she wants in return that makes me doubt her reliability. All she wants is for me to leave her and Oliver be. It seems too simple, too _little_ in response for such a momentous thing as my Samuel returning, for it to be real.

I pretended to have things to do so that she would leave, so I could better contemplate it all, to be able to tell whether or not she is a reliable person enough for me to entrust the body of my Samuel to.

But I decided, hours ago, to humour her. I can sense her power, rolling off her in waves, and know that whilst I would be able to beat her, it most likely would not be wise. Yet I called for Samuel's body to be exhumed from his grave in preparation for this. If she turns out to be a fraud, I will be most displeased. Yet I have the feeling that she will come through on her promise…

I stand up from my chair and brush through my hair, ensuring I look entirely smart for the first time I will have seen my lover in, oh, too long! From here, I head down the stairs and towards the door, taking a deep breath as I collect the necessary items and open a portal to take me to the graveyard.

To take me to Samuel.

_Oliver's POV:_

She is too kind, too sacrificing for Amelie – someone she doesn't even _know_. She is risking her power and possible position in this town, not to mention her _life_, for _Amelie_ and her damned happiness. Yet, I see potential in this plan: Amelie will be drawn to Sam for so long when he is returned and this will allow me to be with Azcadelia without question from Amelie, for she would be a hypocrite if she insinuated I spent too much time with my love.

I have a nagging feeling that she is too perceptive, that she can sense my worries for being with her. It isn't that I don't love her, not at all. But rather… she is human. She may be a powerful sorceress but she is going to die in the future and she will leave me heartbroken when she does.

Yet here we are, walking through the graveyard in order to meet Amelie and to resuscitate her darling Samuel. I can see him lying ahead of us, preserved entirely in death, and it pains me almost to see him there: Amelie and I _are_ like siblings, underneath the rivalry. To see her in pain, though it pains me to say it, does cause a sense of discomfort in myself but nothing I cannot overcome.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I ask my own lover as we walk closer and closer to the body, hand in hand.

"I have to, Oliver, I promised her," she whispers softly and I recognise the wonderful side of her that I loved from the moment I laid eyes on her. She sticks to her word and she refuses to back out on it, though she has ample opportunity to. She is so perfect, so utterly and truly a saint.

"very well," I sigh, knowing that the weakened Amelie there is currently will be replaced by a fully vital woman in merely the length of time it takes for Samuel to be resuscitated. My chance for power has been and gone… but I have Azcadelia.

And, to me, that's all that matters.

_Azcadelia's POV:_

It is Eleven pm as promised. Oliver and I are waiting in the graveyard as I watch into the distance. Surely enough, Amelie arrives by portal right on time, two bags in on one arm, and a cooler on the other. "Oh good you brought everything. I assume the body has been prepared?" I say, friendliness in my tone.

"Yes, I had some of my assistants draw him from the ground and lay him on a granite table. He is laid upon a red velvet blanket and I have the candles here."

"Very good, off we go then. Oliver, help her set up the candles radiating around the table in two rows and around the base of the table. Leave approximately four feet of a gap between the table and the first row. While you do that I will prepare the spell." They both nod and begin setting up the candles; quite quickly, I might add, those eager beavers!

I sit on the cushion places in front of the table and glance at Sam for the first time. It is as if he is simply sleeping, a perfect body with an angelic face, his hair as bright as an open flame. I can see why Amelie would love him, if it was only for his looks, but the shape of his mouth and the other features on his face makes me think that he is intelligent and caring.

I reach into the sleeve of my black robe. Traditional, of course! Is there really any other way to go? I love the sleeves, perfect for storing things. Carefully, I place the shimmering blue stones around him, and the red ones on his chest, forehead, hands and feet. After that I sit back down again, pull out my necromancy book and begin the soul contacting spell.

"Oh good, he is still here. If you two would kindly join me at the ready, we can begin. I have his soul located and we can now proceed," I say with a smile, having managed to find his aura in this graveyard.

They rush over, Amelie seeming rather nervous, and Oliver with her. As soon as Oliver is by my side, I begin. The candles all light simultaneously with flames reaching a foot high. I begin chanting in my head and the stones glow.

"Amelie prop his mouth open," I order, focused entirely on the spell and everything that is going on. "Oliver, you remember the dagger I asked you to hold onto? I need you to cut my hand. I need to be able to feed him my blood quickly and if I have to worry about the dagger, I won't be able to work fast enough." Reluctantly I see him nod, the inner turmoil to hurt me in his eyes but he knows not to cross me on this.

I hold out my hand palm up as I place myself next to Sam's head. He (Oliver, since Sam is still dead) grasps my hand gingerly, sending a message to the butterflies in my stomach to do the tango, and he then draws the blade quickly but gently across my palm. I hold back the wince, even though I am used to the pain.

Quickly I force my blood to drip into Sam's mouth, and then I heal my palm before beginning the chanting again. Slowly but surely, I can tell something is happening and after five minutes I can no longer hold back my grin.

"It's working."

**Vicky – I TELL YOU TO REVIEW HERE, RIGHT NOW, OR I… I… ERM… DON'T UPDATE ANY OTHER STORY! You have been warned…**

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**And I'll write the next chapter faster, since I managed to claim it XD**

**Vicky xx**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Vicky here because, well, I wanted this chappy! As you probs know, j'adore Samelie & I NEEDED to write this happy event... Also, it's mainly in Sam & Amelie's POV... And Ollipop XD**

**We don't own much here... :(**

_Sam's POV:_

For a month now, I have laid in a wooden coffin (the most ironic of all ironies, a vampire lying in wood) in stagnant ground. You're probably wondering _why _I have been able to consider this, since there is the fact I died, kicked the bucket - whatever terminology you want to use to show my final chance of life ending, use it.

So, back to point: I was dead. How could I feel? Well, I think it is something to do with either the manner in which I died or simply everyone is like this... I feel myself fading further away every day, the slight flicker of life in me dying as nobody knows how to save me.

Yet I can feel myself having been removed from the ground and raised on a table in the graveyard, lying on red velvet. Why? Why have I been exhumed from the place where I would have eventually died _fully_, rather than being in this half state being unable to move but still be able to think and hear? I want to know… I can only hope that the reason is good.

Beside me, I feel the soft pressure of the hand of the woman I have loved for decades: Amelie. She, for some as yet unknown reason, has brought me out of the ground and is here with me. Why? Then the pressure disappears and a fresh wave of pain and loneliness washes over me until something else distracts me.

Chanting begins from the tongue of a young woman, about my age when I was turned. I have never heard her voice before and it seems… enchanting. I have no idea what she is saying for it is in a foreign language but something about her accent, the way she articulates her words, gives me reason to believe that she is English. So _why_ is there a human (I can hear her heartbeat) from England here with me and Amelie, chanting some unknown words?

Oliver is here as well, but _why_?

My mouth is opened by the gentle touch of the young woman and her blood pours into my mouth. In this instant, I realise that there is something about her that _isn't normal_. Her blood… it's intoxicating with an edge of something so feral that the entire world ought to be scared. She has immense power, almost as much as Amelie, and I know that she could destroy the entire world if she put her mind to it.

It should scare me. It should make me want to hurry up and leave this world for good, no longer fighting tooth and nail to get more and more strength so that I can be reunited with Amelie. But it doesn't… for the fact that she is giving me the power she has makes me realise that she is a powerful ally and, more than that… she is bringing me back to Amelie.

Slowly but surely, I can feel the utter life and vitality in her blood spreading through my dry veins and sort of mingling with the cells there, the chant she continues to give speeding this process along.

Then things begin to happen; Things that I never thought possible.

My skin begins to stretch and become malleable once again, losing the hard edge being a vampire brought to it. Something in my brain seems to snap back to normal and all the small sounds I could hear before, like the scuttling of squirrels along the path, seem to just… fade out. My senses seem to be returning to what they were like fifty years ago… how quaint.

Then there is my throat. Before, it burned with the desire for blood, to take the nourishment I need from the body of another. But now… the desire for _food_ has resurfaced – in my stomach. I need nutritional food… as in _human food_. My mouth feels strange, parched almost, and the dents in my gums heal entirely, as if there are no fangs there whatsoever.

The final thing that tells me that there is something extremely strange going on? The fact that my heartbeat, which stopped fifty years ago, has suddenly started going again.

Yeah. Weird, huh?

_Amelie's POV:_

I believe I must be going crazy. Finally, though it may be through different measures than I anticipated, Oliver has managed to drive me insane. He has managed to have someone dupe me into believing they could bring Sam back and now they have managed to begin a artificial heartbeat as to drive me insane! Or I am imagining the heartbeat, which simply furthers the idea that I have gone absolutely crazy, out of my tree.

I stand up sharply and let my fangs slip down as I lose control entirely. There are some things that I cannot abide and to be made a mockery of is one of them. But to have involved _Samuel_… that is taking it a step too far, even for Oliver. The one person in the world Oliver ought not to have messed with, or even this Azcadelia woman, is Sam.

"Are you trying to trick me here?" I ask in a low and menacing voice, the question directed at the pair of grinning people who are in cahoots, I am sure of it. "How have you managed to artificially create the heartbeat of a _vampire_? Are you attempting to make me think I have gone crazy by imagining my Samuel has returned but with a _heartbeat_?" I continue, anger creating an almost echo effect in my tone.

"Amelie, I haven't done anyth-" Azcadelia begins until I cut her off, advancing closer and closer towards her. My hand rests on something warm but I ignore it as I focus upon the witch in front of me.

"You have lied to me and betrayed my trust," I begin, spitting the words out. Oliver advances towards me, evidently annoyed at how I am threatening 'his girl', but I do not care: she has made a mockery of me! She has assured me she could bring Samuel back and look! She has created a… wait… is that _blood_ pumping?

I look down at what I am gripping onto, ignoring the two others here entirely as I stare in disbelief. This cannot be possible…

Sam's skin is no longer the alabaster paleness of a vampire, no; it is the healthy glowing brown that it was up to the minute before he became a vampire. There is a _need_ for him to breathe for it is filling his lungs and oxygenating his blood and vital organs… and his heart _is_ beating. His skin is warm and he is truly back here – but as a human.

Suddenly, his sapphire eyes snap open and they meet my own with a frenzied panic, but also a strange sense of delight.

"Sam," I whisper and move across to him, smiling as he has returned. Perhaps I was wrong about Azcadelia. But this is not the time to be pondering that: no, I must be with my Samuel…

**a/n – a little more on these in the future**

_Oliver's POV:_

She has worn herself out doing this for Amelie… she could be dying here but she continues to stand strong against Amelie to show that she _didn't_ do anything wrong. By the looks of her expression, she didn't expect the spell to bring him back as a human… she probably didn't expect to be looking as if she is about to pass out on her feet either.

"Come on," I scurry around to her back and whisper into her ear as soon as Amelie is suitably distracted by the sudden revival of her lover. She had _no_ right to insinuate that Azcadelia would not follow through on what she said and that she tried to trick her by bringing an artificial heartbeat… that just wouldn't work, would it?

"Can we leave her with him?" she worries, once again, for everyone other than herself. As she turns to face me, I realise the entirety of the strength she has put into this necromancy spell and fear she could pass out any second.

"He apparently survived three years as a human in a relationship with her so I highly doubt she will kill him now," I respond, my hands at her hips incase she suddenly lolls forwards or backwards from the suddenness of falling unconscious. Yet she does no such thing and after a careful deliberation, she nods.

"Let's go," she finally agrees to do as I want, turning away from Sam and Amelie with a worried expression on her face until it fades into fatigue.

"Let me carry you," I basically order her to let me, knowing that she wouldn't want me to not do so. Therefore, without verbal confirmation from her, I swing her close to my chest, ignoring the longing her heartbeat gives to my thirsty soul and simply focus upon the beauty of her skin, the way that she appears so innocent and naïve but is in fact under turmoil inside… slowly, her breathing evens out to how it is when she sleeps and I can tell she is no longer in this world. She is in the world of dreams.

Her head rests against my chest as my grip on her tightens as we run through the streets back to Common Grounds. I kick open the back door and wince as she stirs slightly. But there is no harm done and I am soon flying up the stairs with her and taking her into my room.

I lay her gently on the bed and tuck the quilt in around her, my hand resting on her shoulders gently as I kiss her upon the lips for the first time in many a year.

This is what makes her stir to a sort of wall between the conscious and the unconscious. She opens her bleary eyes and smiles at me, half awake now but she won't remember it later.

"Hey," she says in a voice already filled with sleep. This reminds me of her youth and how she was when she was so small and perfect… but I shake myself out of that and back to the present.

"Sleep," I press for her to do so, knowing she needs to rejuvenate for the coming days. Amelie will have to apologise for what she said and she will do tomorrow. I lace my fingers into hers and smile as she does the same thing back to me, her free hand moving to rest on my chest.

"I… I love you," she whispers before her eyes drift shut again and her hand falls limply from my chest. But I remain on the edge of the bed for hours, staring at her as I repeat the words in my head.

I. Love. You.

Perfection in its purest form.

**So, you made it through the chapter without falling asleep? **

**Review**

**Vicky :D**

**(I agree this chapter may have been slightly on the dull side but big things to come next chapter in fact, the rating may change as soon as chapter 10 or 11. Please review to let us know if you want it sooner or later ^^. ~ Lady A)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Yes we unfortunately own..well...not Morganville vampires. **

**The rating for this chapter is: T**

**Chapter 9**

_Azcadelia's POV:_

I wake to the sun stirring across my eyes. I still feel a little groggy from last night, no doubt from using too much energy but I had only performed necromancy once or twice before. My fingertips ghost over my lips on their own, suddenly recalling last night. I can still recall the taste of him… Oh it has been far too long since he last gave me a simple, chaste kiss. Yet he is not next to me and it isn't until I smell the aroma of waffles and bacon that I know why. On cue he walks in with the tray and I find it hard to keep my mouth from watering.

"Good morning Oliver. And before you ask yes, I am feeling better. A little groggy, but better," I smile as I predict the question he would ask me if I gave him chance to.

"I want you to rest today; you pushed yourself too far last night," He says, as he places the tray gently across my lap. His tone is so deep and… I can't describe it. He just sounds worried for me, concerned for my health.

"You know, Oliver, I meant what I said to you last night, and I remember what you did." He suddenly blushes at the mention of it. I knew it! He thought I would have forgotten but he should know better by now. Considering I have a memory like an elephant. How else would I be as powerful as I am?

As enticing as breakfast is, I gently take the tray and place it on the nightstand. Afterwards I pat the bed next to me. "Oliver, I came back for good reason, not just because you're all I have left, but you are all I want to ever have," I begin slowly, not entirely sure how to articulate what I want to say. "I said I loved you and I will always mean it. I realize I will eventually die, but please don't let that be what separates us. I know how it is you feel about me too."

Before he can answer, I return the favour he paid me last night: I grab the collar of his shirt and pull him into a kiss and not a chaste one either. I put every emotion I have for him into this one kiss; after all if this is the one chance I get, I will give it my all.

_Oliver's POV:_

She grabs me by the collar of the shirt I randomly selected from the wardrobe, not concerned for the appearance of it but simply for dressing so that I could come back to this wondrous woman quicker. From here, her lips press to my own, so much more forward than I was last night but I like it…

I kiss her back, pressing my hands into her hair to pull her closer to me. Something about her tempts me _so_ much: it's unbearable to be so close to her, especially when I am thirsty like now. So after a long kiss, I pull her away and smile widely, barely keeping the self control over my bloodlust and _other_ things under wraps from her.

"Eat your breakfast," I order her softly, pulling away entirely and heading towards the door.

"Oliver?" her voice calls me back as she lifts the tray onto her knees at the same time; multitasking is a talent only women seem to be able to have… and they flaunt it constantly.

"Mmm?" I question as I half turn back, unable to turn fully towards her for the fear that I could turn into a feral monster. The beating of her heart, the pumping of the blood through her arteries… it makes me want to sink my fangs into her neck and not stop until her body is drained of the precious blood inside.

"Be quick with your own, ah, _nutrition_," evidently, she can tell I am thirsty and I am glad she is not calling me back towards her. Perhaps the suddenness of the way I stopped kissing her alerted her to this fact.

"Yes, my dear," I smile before shooting out of the room and heading into the kitchen for a bottle of blood, wondering what I could do for my wonderful woman tonight… perhaps a meal?

_Azcadelia's POV:_

After our heart to heart this morning and of course breakfast (which was _delicious_, I always knew Oliver had to be a good cook), I went downstairs to join Oliver in his office; he worked on the cafe's paperwork, while I pulled out every book in my arsenal that could possibly explain why Sam came back human. I can do many things concerning vampires including resurrection, permanent death, and I even have a theory on how to allow their bodies to have children. What I have never been able to do nor have been taught to do, is to reverse the vampire curse. So why is Sam a human? I must go and find him soon, to both give him my blood and to consider why he is in a state of being he finished fifty years ago.

"I think it is clear that said vampire has to be dead first, otherwise I don't think it would have happened. But I have resurrected before, so why was this different? Ugh!" I practically slam my head against Oliver's desk in defeat, startling the man I love more than he would probably care to admit. That's the flaw with being an egotistical vampire (being male goes without question), I suppose. But I love him all the same…

"I think you're at least onto something with combining the fact he was deceased, recently deceased anyways, and the fact that you used more strength than you should have. Why _did_ you by the way?" He asks, entwining his fingers in mine with one hand and pulls my head up gently with the other. The gentleness of his touch astounds me after earlier, but perhaps the bloodlust had something to do with his urgency? As much as I hate to admit, he _is_ a vampire and my blood must appeal to him more than a little.

"Why did I what?" I ask curiously. I hate it when he talks in riddles when my mind is already jumbled from other things, including how much I love him…

"Why did you use more energy than necessary? Why did you pour more of your life force, human life force, into him than what you knew was needed?" Damn, he is good. Sometimes I think he is telepathic and doesn't tell me with the way he can so easily get into my head.

"I wanted to be sure he came back," I say slowly, deliberating how to answer without him being angry for he and Amelie seem like rivalling siblings. "He is important to her and I wanted to make sure he came back fully. Whoever killed him was powerful and therefore it left an imprint on him like I have never seen before. A connection to him, almost… I had to be sure that that connection was broken as well. Apparently it was enough to turn him human, though it shouldn't have." That is the only thing I can think of for a reason as to why he returned as a human. I don't know whether or not he would prefer to be a human: from what I have heard already in my short time here, he was an outcast for so many years… but he loves Amelie, and she him. How will this work between them?

"I see." He contemplates my answer. He knows who it was that killed him and won't tell me. Well I guess I can get that out of him later now can't I? I guess it must be something that reflects badly in his thoughts as well… but past experience informs me that when _Oliver _finds something bad, it _must_ be bad. "Amelie is due to return with him and medical supplies in an hour. He still needs your blood and so we will have to transfuse it instead." He notices my grimace and smiles. He knows I hate needles after that voodoo incident, yeah don't ask. "I realize you don't want to Azcadelia and believe me I do hate to see your blood given to others aside from myself." I blush. It has been so long since he last had my blood and when he does, we can connect almost on a spiritual level when he temporarily has my magic running through his veins. It is by far the closest I have been with him.

"You know you don't have to ask to take what I primarily reserve as yours. It has been a long time since you last had a taste. Perhaps later you can cash in on your reservation." He laughs at that. A deep sultry laugh that sends shivers down my spine.

"Yes, perhaps I will, so long as Samuel doesn't require too much." And with that we are both back to work, him making progress and myself, well, pretty much where I started. This is going to be a long day.

OoOoOo

I knock at the large wooden door with a sense of nervousness that I do not often feel as I wait for Amelie to answer it.

The door opens and a vampire I have _never_ seen before – and by the plainness of her appearance, I doubt I will remember – greets me with her cool, vampire demeanour. Evidently, it is attempting to be like the 'Ice Queen' herself, but falling _way_ short as what I can see. But someone I don't know has answered the door… and this house seems _huge_, as in _way_ too big for just one person.

"Um, have I got the wrong house?" I request aloud but the maid – I don't know what else to call her – shakes her head. Whoa. Of course. Amelie has wait staff to cater to her every need. _Why_ didn't I expect that to be happening anyway?

"She said for you to head straight to the lounge – that is through the left hallway and then turn right," the maid says in a slow and even enough tone that gives me the idea that her first language isn't English.

"Thank you," I say with a smile, being polite as I always find works best at first: it has worked with Amelie.

I walk through the house in the direction that she pointed me in, marvelling at the antiques littering the house: they are all so casually placed around but you can just _tell_ that the vase isn't a copy of a Tudor piece, it _is_ a Tudor piece! It's amazing!

"Azcadelia, you arrived," Amelie says as she opens the door for me to enter the living room. I smile at her as I walk in, something which she reciprocates: I presume that the entire 'you must be nicer' speech I gave her must have worked.

"Yes, I'm here," I say as I walk further in, spotting the redheaded man I brought back last night sitting at the table and eating food as if he hasn't eaten for weeks… on second thoughts, he hasn't eaten for fifty years so he gets a pass. "Um, hi, we haven't been formally introduced: my name is Azcadelia and I presume you must be Sam?" I walk across to the man who is eating a chicken omelette like there is no tomorrow.

He finishes the mouthful of omelette he had in his mouth before standing up and turning to face me. Something about his expression makes me feel as if I want to sink into the floor with embarrassment.

"I… I honestly cannot put into words what you have done for me," he says, a trembling in his voice most evidently showing his emotions. "Thank you so, _so_ much for not only just bringing me back from death… but also as a human. I don't know how you did it… but thank you," he walks forwards and pulls me in for a hug, closer than I have been with anyone besides Oliver for a long time. However, I relax as I feel his heartbeat pumping blood around his body, including some of my own.

"No problemo," I say with a smile as I step away from him and across to the table where I can see the blood taking apparatus. "Um, I figured that it would be best to take both pints of my blood now and that you put the other pint in storage so that it doesn't mean that I need to come back," I relay my plans to Amelie, who no longer seems as ice cold… it's as if Sam has brought a part of her that was also previously dead back to life.

_Amelie's POV:_

I suppose that yesterday I would have been bothered about Azcadelia pushing her own ideas rather than following the way everyone else does and let _me_ make the decisions. However… I no longer have the same desire for control as I did even twenty hours ago.

I cannot believe that Sam is alive: I keep glancing over at him and expecting it to be a figment of my imagination that will disappear if I don't keep my eyes on him. But more than that… I can't believe that he is human. He… it doesn't seem possible. He is a human once again, able to grow older and have a human life. Will he still want me? I have managed to bring him back, but for how long? Soon he will age… but that is a problem for another day, after we have been reacquainted. And also when we are alone – I may now _trust_ Azcadelia, but I cannot allow her to be privy to such private details about our life.

"Shall we do this now?" I ask her, keeping Sam in my peripheral vision so that I can guarantee that he doesn't leave me again. My guard has come down entirely in the past hours having the chance of being close to Sam once again and if he were to disappear I fear I could fall apart entirely.

"Yes," she shrugs her shoulders but seems wary of the needles – could it _really_ be that the _witch_ is scared of _needles_? However it is understandable… everyone has a pet quirk and this is evidently (one of) hers… also Oliver – who on _earth_ would choose to be with him is beyond me, but that is none of my business. People have said similar things about me and Sam so why should I interfere with Azcadelia and Oliver?

I move across to the table with her before darting back and taking Samuel by the arm. I must be so much gentler than even I had to be for fifty years because he is human once again.

Here, I sit him down in the chair next to Azcadelia where he proceeds to smile at her: I can see why and I have no reason to be jealous – she is the one who brought him back, not me. She saved him, not me.

I find a vein in her arm instantly and slide the needle in, attaching it to a bag which drains through another tube into Sam's arm. After half a century of having to drink blood, it must be strange for him to have it inserted through his veins – I cannot begin to understand how unusual this must be for him. It is a matter for another day, however, because… her blood… it's intoxicating.

I _never_ have a problem with blood, even if it is flowing fresh from a wound – it is all part of age. If Myrnin hadn't been so weak minded in the past and drank whenever he wished to, rather than when he _needed_ to like me, he would have almost had the same control as me. But, alas, he doesn't and this is his fault. Yet I seem to be being drawn to this blood as if it is the one thing I desire and it is taking me _all_ my strength to not drink it from the bag.

I set up a second line of blood but don't connect it into Sam's arm, meaning that the second pint is for what he needs next week. I can separate the plasma form the rest of the blood cells later when I am alone and need no blood.

"Excuse me for a moment," I whisper as I rush out of the room and head for the kitchen. Here, I take a bottle of blood from the fridge and drink it cold, not bothered about warming it up, only to use it to alleviate the thirst I have been feeling. It has been worse since Sam returned because I am not used to humans being around, besides Claire and she is so integrated into my mind that I barely notice her scent anymore.

By the time that I return, the blood is finished draining into Sam and I can see a distinct shakiness from the girl who is giving her blood. I remove the drips and she smiles, albeit slightly faintly, before standing up.

"I have some transfusions for you," I pick up the bags I left on the side of blood and attach them into her arm, making the blood she lost recoup in her body so she is back to full strength.

"Thank you," she smiles but I turn away to Sam, placing my hand on his face as I look at him.

"Are you alright?" I ask him quietly in his ear, my hair brushing over his face. He nods and I smile, kissing his cheek softly before stepping away. "Azcadelia, when you are ready I can summon a portal for you," I turn to her and she nods, standing up and removing the needles from her arm with a swift movement ending with a wince.

"I am ready – thank you, and I hope you get better soon Sam," she turns to us both with the politeness that so many of the younger generation lack. Seeing that in her confirms that she _is_ a trustworthy and honourable person… I just am glad that she deemed saving my love a payment in exchange for such a thing.

I summon the portal to Common Grounds and watch her step through it, the door disappearing into nothingness as soon as she is through.

Sam's arms wrap around my waist and I smile, deliberately not thinking of the future… and the question: what are we to do?

_Oliver's POV:_

Deliberations, deliberations, on what to do for Azcadelia: should I cook her a meal, or should I do something more romantic? I can't decide whether or not she will be feeling good enough after giving so much blood to Sam… but I presume that Amelie would have provided necessary replenishments for her – to not have would be ridiculous!

I decide that the spaghetti bolognaise I have already prepared, along with homemade garlic bread and other accompaniments that I _know_ she loves, is good enough for the first date we have had in… oh… I can't remember. So I set the table in the centre of the room, the lighting dimmed and such, the cutlery gleaming after a quick polish to remove the three hundred year's worth of grime that disuse brings.

I smooth down the black tuxedo jacket I am wearing and ensure my appearance is suitable before waiting for the woman I love to return home.

She better come soon… or the food will be burnt!

**So, review guys… **

**Vicky xx**

**You will all be happy to know that the rating for the next chapter will now change ^^. So don't say we didn't do anything for you XD**

**For those of you keeping up with this story I suggest you subscribe, because the rating is now going to m and will be difficult to find. Thanksies.**

**~Lady A**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

_Oliver's POV:_

Within only three minutes of the food being absolutely ready, Azcadelia arrives home from Amelie's house and looks her usual self – I take it that Amelie _did_ provide blood transfusions for her – as she emerges at the top of the stairs from the office below. I suppose that Amelie must have summoned a portal for her to use to bring her back as I did not hear any progression of her heartbeat throughout the café below…

"Oliver, what's this?" she asks in confusion as I elaborately wave an arm to show her the table of food behind me.

"I decided that it was time for us to have a, what is it called again?" I struggle with the terminology for the modern version of courting and she smiles.

"A date?" she confirms and I nod – that's it! I can't believe I forgot that: all the humans decide to go on 'dates' to my establishment, so I have been bathed in the use of the word _scores_ of times, but yet I managed to get all tongue tied when it came to actually using it. "Oliver, are you actually _struggling with what to say_?" she asks me, evidently amazed at how I am unable to articulate my words properly.

"I… I… yes," I begin to try and cover over my problems with speaking before finally admitting the truth: she told me the entire truth when she turned up here the other day, so I owe her the same courtesy… and I couldn't lie to my true love, I just couldn't. Unless it was for her own safety, that is: which, by the way, this isn't. "Would you like to sit down and take a taste of my _wonderful_ food?" I ask her with a wide smile, hoping with all my heart she agrees.

She smiles at me and nods, moving across the room to take her seat. However, I pull the chair out for her and wait for her to sit down before tucking her back into the table effortlessly, bending over to press my cool lips to the underside of her jaw. The sweet, delicious scent of her skin, of the blood pumping underneath her skin, almost makes me go insane with desire…

… but I manage to cling onto my sanity and move away from her, around to the other side of the table without revealing my intense longing for her.

"So have you been cooking this for the entire time I was out?" she asks me, breaking the silence which was being broken only by the clattering of forks on the plate.

"No, no, only for about an hour," I say with a smile and she laughs slightly, for an unfathomable reason to me. My eyes meet hers and I drop my fork rather unceremoniously onto the plate which is almost empty. Hers is in the same state but with the intensity of the stare she is giving me right now, I don't think I could eat another morsel. "Dessert?" I ask her with a smile, not looking away from her for a second. I don't particularly want dessert but I need to offer it anyway, just to continue this evening.

She shrugs without speaking, so I stand up and take the plates through to the kitchen and dump them in the sink, taking a deep breath as I contemplate what to do. I run my hand through my hair and shut my eyes, not entirely sure how to advance with this situation.

"Oliver?" her voice behind me startles me greatly, causing me to turn at an extreme speed in shock. She smiles as she sees me and I have to say that my breathing increases at just seeing her.

She has taken her hair down so the long locks are flowing over her shoulders and the simple outfit only highlights her beauty… it… I don't think I can resist.

I close in the space between us and wrap my hands around her back, exerting a huge amount of pressure as I crush my lips to hers without even waiting for her to say anything.

_Azcadelia's POV:_

It is about damn time if you ask me. His lips pressed urgently against mine and his hands on my back. He doesn't move further, as if he really doesn't know if he should continue. I pull back and look him in those troubled eyes.

"It is okay you know. I have waited far too long to have you to myself and I love you very much. I want to." I nudge him towards his bedroom, well, I guess it is our bedroom now. I want to let him know what I want, and that it is okay.

"Are you sure about this Az?" He blinks, as if his mind is in complete overdrive as _I_ push him onto the bed.

"I would say so if I wasn't. I am twenty one and I am not getting any younger, Oliver. You have no idea how much I want this." Suddenly his eyes turn dark with lust, probably mirroring my own. It is now that I have realized what I have unleashed in him. Before I can realize what happened he is over me, kissing me like he never has before. I practically moan in anticipation in his kiss. He pulls back shortly after and strokes my cheek.

"There will be no going back after this." He starts to trail kisses along my jaw line while his left hand ghosts over the hem of my shirt.

"I know Oliver, from now on we only move forward." With my final confirmation he attacks my lips, his tongue glides along my bottom lip and I obediently open for him, leading our tongues into a battle for dominance in which he always easily wins. Apparently, he has taken a personal grudge against my blouse, because in his haste, he rips it down the middle, exposing me before him for the first time. Well besides in a bathing suit, this is more intimate. He stops kissing my neck and looks at me, and that is how I know he wants some blood. I am sure his hunger is multiplied by the lust, so I nod my head and turn it to the side slightly. I moan as he trails kisses back down my neck and he hovers over my vein. I fight back a wince as his fangs gently pierce my skin. As soon as my blood hits his palate we are instantly connected and I am relaxed. I hear his thoughts and he hears mine and as long as he has my blood in his system, it will stay that way.

Sensing my own lust and need grow, he pulls back and licks the wound clean, returning to my lips once again. I can taste my blood in the kiss and the funniest thing is, I enjoy the metallic taste. His hands return to stroking my sides gently, starting at the waist of my shorts, and gliding ever so slowly, so delicately north. He stop momentarily and the hem of my bra before diving in completely. He pushes my bra up to get at what it holds and becomes easily frustrated. He surprises me when he, instead of simply tearing the garment away, lifts me up and reaches behind undoing the clasp. From there I assist him in pulling the straps off my shoulders then immediately turn beat red at my exposure. I attempt to cover myself but to no avail, he holds my hands above me, preventing me from covering myself.

"Don't you dare hide yourself from me, love. You are beautiful you have nothing to fear." Not sparing any time from my now exposed breasts, he consoles me in my mind, his mental voice full of desire. I blush deeply as he kisses the underside of my left breast, while paying equal attention to the right with his hand. I stop him for a moment, trying to catch my breath.

"Oliver it is not fair, you have more clothes on than me." I glare wickedly at him. Even though I don't speak it, the tone of the echo in his head has annoyance in it. If he doesn't start stripping soon I will burn the clothes off myself. Yes I am that impatient. He chuckles, his voice melodic and soothing in the sound. He then leans back grinning as he slips his shirt off over his head. His perfectly toned body lies before me and I cannot help but stare in awe, and hunger as my desire only increases. Liking what I see I pull him down again, my arms gripping at his back. He returns to his earlier menstruations as I become lost is sensations that are completely new and alien to me.

Eager for more, those skilled fingers dive into the hemline of my pants flicking open the button and zipper. He stares into my eyes and smirks as he pushes the last articles of clothing I have on, down my legs and onto the floor joining my shirt and bra. He licks his lips, liking what he sees. I cannot help but blush easily today, his eyes being the sole cause. I shiver slightly as a waft of cold air hits me and he immediately goes to work to fix it. His talented right hand trails down my stomach, passing my navel, then going further south. I gasp loudly as he touches me, as I have never experienced such an exhilarating and foreign feeling. He latches his mouth back onto my neck, only this time to mark me as his in a whole new way. I mewl in pleasure as his ministrations below pick up until finally he inserts one finger into my virgin entrance. I wince slightly at the pain from his intrusion. He wastes no time in slowly inserting a second finger to begin scissoring me and stretching me further. I whine in protest, desperately wanting the pain to be over with.

"Please, just do it!" I scream mentally to him. I am familiar with pain and I know that the sooner he gets this over with, the sooner the pleasure will return.

"I do not wish to hurt you, Azcadelia." His eyes are full of such love and concern that I melt in his gaze, completely lost in it. I yank at the hem of his pants urgently for I cannot hold out much longer and I want him so much that I could care less about pain.

"So long as you go slow so I can get used to it, I can endure the pain. You know I can, now pants off!" He chuckles at my haste before retreating off the bed. He puts on a show for me, slowly unbuttoning his jeans, and slowly pushing them down his thighs until the finally pool around his feet. He grins to me, his fingers teasing over the hem of his boxers, which are tie-dye by the way, very fitting of him. He goes even slower with the boxers than the pants and it isn't until they join his pants on the floor that I can see him for the first time. I knew he would be big, but what stood at attention before me was a majestic creature of its own.

"Like what you see, my love?" He says, returning to my embrace as I am glad to have his warmth back.

"Yes, yes I do. I cannot hold out much longer now so please, don't stop now."

"As you wish, my love." Slowly, he positions himself at my entrance and gently pushes himself in while pulling me into a deep and distracting kiss. He pushes in further and the pain hits me head on. I knew it would hurt but this is excruciating. I barely hide my pain as tears fall, but I endure none the less. Once he is sure he is all the way in he stops and waits for me to adjust, kissing my tears and pain away. Before long a new sensation starts to creep up underneath the now dull throb of pain. Knowing I am ready, I tell him to move and he slowly starts pumping in and out. Pleasure erupts inside me as he tilts my hips and hits a most curious spot. He pulls out and hits it again and I moan, unable to contain the pleasure I am feeling.

He grunts in approval and starts picking up speed to which point I am practically screaming his name. Before long I feel a tightening sensation in my lower regions as with each thrust, becomes tighter and tighter until finally, it explodes causing sparks in my vision as I ride out my climax. With my muscles clenching everywhere, he follows me in his own climax. As he finishes he gently pulls out of me and I wince at the empty sensation I am left with. Panting, he cuddles beside me pulling me close.

"Are you alright, Az?" He asks me, out of breath but full of concern.

"There is still a dull pain but I think I will be okay. So long as I rest awhile." I nuzzle myself up against his chest and realize for the first time in my life, I am truly and undeniably happy.

_Oliver's POV:_

She falls asleep after a short while and I smile, unable to verbalise my feelings. Yet I cannot sleep myself, so I slip out of her arms and out of the room, moving over to appreciate the night sky. It is pretty… but nothing in comparison to the light that Azcadelia shines upon the world. They are entirely incomparable to me…

I continue to stand here for an immeasurable time, until a noise from the supposedly empty Common Grounds startles me. Who could be there? It's the early hours of the damned morning; nobody should be there for hours at least!

Deciding to investigate – after all, I'm a _vampire_ who has just had human blood; I'm not an easy target – I head downstairs with extended fangs and ready to attack anyone there.

That is, if they didn't grab me by the throat and throw me across the room. There's only a couple of people who can manage this against _me_.

I look up and see my assailant.

Uh oh.

**So, a cliffhanger for you all!**

**Who is it?**

**SO there you have it folks, your sorta lemony goodness. Don't say we never did anything for you ^^. REVIEWS ARE AWESOME KAY THANKS!**

**~Lady A**


	11. HIATUS

HELLO EVERYONE NO I AM NOT DEAD

The past 2 years have been extremely hectic for me. I lost my muse for awhile and college took a lot out of me. My question to you guys is, and please send me a PM with your thoughts, is whether or not I should complete this story, or if someone wants to adopt it or be my muse. I can attempt to continue with my Harry Potter fic more so than I can with my Morganville Vampires one. So help a writer out and tell me what my audience demands!

Sorry for the Hiatus and I promise I am back!

Much love

Lady A~


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